They sometimes start out as drivers, errand boys or executive assistants to the state’s most powerful in politics and government. Sometimes, they’re just volunteering for a cause, and they do a good job. Often, they’re in jobs where they’re expected to go out for the coffee – and at all hours.

A few years later, they wind up as campaign managers, lobbyists or elected officials.

Frequently, it’s simply their dedication – they always are on the clock – that gets them noticed.

Kirk Sander, now a special assistant at NASA, started his career by canvassing neighborhoods for former Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry before going on to play a prominent role in state politics.

Sometimes it’s a particularly smart piece of work. That was the case for Jerome Hudson.

Hudson, a Florida State University student, gained national attention when an op-ed he wrote about being a young, black conservative got noticed by Glenn Beck.

Democratic strategist Steve Schale, who managed Barack Obama’s Florida operation during the presidential campaign and was often portrayed as a wunderkind himself, said there are three qualities he looks for in staff that he thinks he can groom for higher profile work:

“Young, smart and eager,” said Schale.

“Somebody who’s young, who doesn’t mind putting in 80 hours per week.” Smart and eager are more obvious desired qualities.

The News Service of Florida has taken scores of nominations from political operatives, lobbyists, state government officials and veteran political watchers on who they see as young up-and-comers on the state political scene – people whose names you may not know now, but are likely to be familiar with in the near future.

The nominations included public relations executives, legislative aides, and even some White House staff, all of whom either call Florida home now, or got their start here.

After perusing their resumes and checking up on them with other sources, we have narrowed that list down to 25 rising political or government stars, all under the age of 30. There are more Republicans than Democrats, reflective only of the relative influence of the two parties in state politics and government right now.

The list, separated by party and listed alphabetically, includes talent from all corners of the state. We’ve also included four state lawmakers under 30 – just getting elected to state office in one’s 20s makes them an automatic “person to watch.” Ask Adam Putnam, who was elected to the state House right out of college, and soon was the No. 3 Republican in Congress. Now he’s the state agriculture commissioner – still not 40 -- and mentioned as a strong possible future candidate for governor.

Here they are:

The DEMS

Kevin Cate, 27, president of Kevin Cate Communications

Cate, a Wesley Chapel High School graduate, was tasked with getting Democrat Loranne Ausley’s message out to the voters in her race for chief financial officer against Republican Jeff Atwater. Atwater creamed Ausley, but the Democrat saw a noticeable uptick in media coverage and polling after Cate came on board and started calling and e-mailing members of the capital press corps regularly. Cate served on former Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink’s communications staff and worked on the Obama campaign’s Florida effort.

Tyler Hudson, 25, University of Florida law student

“He was doing things at 18 that some people aren’t doing at 30,” said Democratic operative Steve Schale. Hudson has been working behind the scenes in Democratic politics since high school and landed his first big job helping the John Kerry presidential campaign writing staff during the 2004 Democratic National Convention. During the 2008 presidential election, he served as a deputy field director for Obama and oversaw the entire Election Day turnout operation. He then made the decision to put his full-time political career on hold to go to law school.

Nate Jenkins, 29, deputy campaign manager for "Alex Sink For Governor"

Jenkins, an Orlando native, went straight to Teach for America following his graduation from Duke University in 2004. After his two-year stint teaching sixth-grade social studies in Atlanta, he started doing campaign work, ultimately landing a job as the Central Florida regional director for the Democratic National Committee and later becoming the deputy political director for Florida in Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential run. He was also Alex Sink’s deputy campaign manager in the 2010 gubernatorial race. Jenkins returned to D.C. following the governor’s race and is now weighing job offers while also applying to business school.


Eric Jotkoff, 28, communications director for the Florida Democratic Party

Jotkoff, a South Florida native, is the mouthpiece for the state Democratic Party. Jotkoff’s number and e-mail are programmed in every political reporter’s BlackBerry. Jotkoff worked as a member of Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign staff and has served in senior positions on congressional and gubernatorial campaigns. He has a bachelor’s degree from Boston University.

Alejandro Miyar, 29, University of Miami law student

Miyar, a former spokesman for the state Democratic Party and South Florida communications director for the Obama campaign, took a temporary break from full-time political work to go to law school at the University of Miami. But he is still highly sought after for advice from Miami Democrats. He also served in the U.S. Justice Department as spokesman and public affairs director for the Civil Rights Division.

Phil Perry, 29, digital strategist for Burson-Marsteller

Perry, a Tallahassee native, got his start with the Florida Democratic Party under former Chair Karen Thurman where he worked on the party’s Internet strategy before branching out to work on a variety of campaigns, including the Obama presidential bid. He also has worked internationally, running the new media operation for an Albanian presidential candidate last year. He also ran new media for former Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink’s gubernatorial campaign last year. He moved to D.C. just this weekend to work for Burson-Marsteller.

Franco Ripple, 28, public outreach coordinator for Broward County Commissioner Kristin Jacobs

Ripple got his start in Florida politics through college internships before landing jobs as a research assistant to former state Rep. Loranne Ausley, a field organizer in Broward County for the Obama campaign, and as a new media director for FairDistricts Florida. He now works for Broward County Commissioner Kristin Jacobs and is considered to be one of the top field organizers for the county among Democratic consultants. He is a state committeeman for the Broward Young Democrats, as well as Southeast regional director for the Florida Young Democrats.

Kirk Sander, 29, special assistant to the administrator at NASA

Originally from Ohio, Sander moved to Tampa to earn a master's degree in environmental science and policy at the University of South Florida, where he got heavily involved in local and state politics. He worked as the college coordinator for the "Jim Davis for Governor" campaign and went on to be the Central Florida finance director for the state Democratic Party and then director of special projects in Florida for the Obama presidential campaign in 2008. Sander said he couldn’t turn down the opportunity to work in the administration, but said he hopes to return to Florida eventually to run for office.

Christian Ulvert, 29, president of Edge Communications

Ulvert ran his first statewide campaign this fall, heading the "Dan Gelber for Attorney General" effort, while also maintaining a political consulting business. He’s also serving as an adviser and campaign spokesman for former state Rep. Marcelo Llorente’s Miami mayoral bid. Note: Llorente is a Republican, and Ulvert has worked across the aisle on a number of policy projects. Previously, he worked as the communications director for the House Democratic office.

REPUBLICANS

Anna Alexopoulos, 26, public affairs liaison for the Department of Financial Services.

Alexopoulos, a 2007 Florida Atlantic University graduate, spent her first few years of post-college life in Broward County politics, chairing the Broward County Young Republicans and serving as the membership chair of the Republican Party of Broward County. She also is the vice chair of the Florida Federation of Young Republicans. Alexopoulos was the 2010 Broward County victory director for the Republican Party of Florida before moving to Tallahassee to work for Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater’s communications operation.

Katie Betta, 27, communications director for House Speaker Dean Cannon

Betta was on the front line for questions when former Republican Party of Florida Chairman Jim Greer was forced out of his leadership role amid criminal charges of theft, money laundering and attempted fraud. She didn’t hide – and won plaudits for that from journalists. During the fall campaign season, then-incoming House Speaker Dean Cannon picked Betta to join his leadership team in the House. She’s now the primary spokeswoman for the speaker. Betta was an army brat who moved to Tallahassee in 2001. She graduated from Florida State University in 2005 and then immediately completed a master’s degree before joining RPOF.

Fritz Brogan, 26, executive deputy chief of staff to Gov. Rick Scott

Francis “Fritz” Brogan III, a Fort Lauderdale native, is a Georgetown Hoya, earning his bachelor’s and law degree from the D.C. university. He also owns two Washington restaurants, Gin & Tonic Tavern and Kitchen 2404. Prior to signing on with Scott, Brogan interned for the White House counsel’s office and later did presidential advance for the White House. He wants to run for office – and has for a long time. He started out in politics in 2000 as a 16-year-old youth coordinator for George W. Bush’s presidential campaign. He was also named a rising star in 2004 by Campaign & Elections, a D.C.-based political publication. That was seven years ago – when he was a teenager. Brogan has worked amid a little bit of controversy. He interned for lobbyist Jack Abramoff, and worked as a deputy political director for former Congressman Mark Foley. He’s done the grunt work, too – he was Charlie Crist’s driver at one point.

Sarah Criser, 24, deputy press secretary for Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam

Criser was one of 14 students selected as a gubernatorial fellow, working for the Agency for Workforce Innovation from August 2009 to May 2010 before joining Putnam’s campaign as a communications aide. Putnam then hired her to work in his Tallahassee office where she oversees written, video and audio publications on behalf of the commissioner and supervises the development of social media communications. A University of Florida grad, she is also working on her master’s degree in applied American politics and policy from Florida State.

Jaryn Emhof, 29, press secretary for Foundation for Florida’s Future

Emhof, a Tallahassee native, started her political career as a high school senior, interning for former House speaker Daniel Webster. She was ultimately hired by Webster in 2001 following his move to the Senate and went on to work for Senate President Ken Pruitt and his successor, Jeff Atwater. She then moved over to Jeb Bush’s Foundation for Florida’s Future, where she serves as the spokeswoman.

Chris Finkbeiner, 26, deputy chief of staff to Senate President Mike Haridopolos

Finkbeiner, a 2006 University of Florida graduate, worked as a legislative aide to state Rep. Bryan Nelson following his graduation and then met Sen. Mike Haridopolos in 2008. Haridopolos hired Finkbeiner to coordinate a campaign to defeat a ballot measure in 2008 and then hired him to continue working as a special assistant managing political activities. Finkbeiner worked on Haridopolos’ transition to the Senate president’s office before he was named deputy chief of staff.

Amy Graham, 24, deputy press secretary to Gov. Rick Scott

Graham, a Port St. Lucie native, spent more than 100 days last year working out of the state emergency operations center as the head of a multi-agency communications team responding to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. As the Department of Environmental Protection’s press secretary, she served as the state’s lead spokesperson following the disaster and helped launched the oil spill response website, which received more than 12 million hits. Following Scott’s election, the agency loaned her out to the governor’s transition team and she was eventually hired as his deputy press secretary.

Jerome Hudson, 25, student

Hudson, a Florida State student, gained national attention after an essay he wrote was featured on GlennBeck.com called “The Life of a Young Black Conservative.” Since then, he has become a regular contributor to the conservative newsletter “Human Events” and a member of the national advisory council of Project 21, a conservative black leadership network. He is studying English and marketing.

Ashley Intartaglia, 24, director of marketing and new media for The Victory Group

Intartaglia practically walked right out of school into a job at The Victory Group, which counts several high-ranking Florida lawmakers -- former Gov. Jeb Bush, Attorney General Pam Bondi and Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater -- among its clients. Intartaglia is charged with creating marketing material using social media to show off the company’s political and corporate clients. Additionally, she is the communications director for the Tampa Bay Young Republicans and volunteers with the Wounded Warriors Project.

Peret Pass, 22, political consultant; president of Jacksonville Young Republicans.

Pass, a senior at Florida State University, worked on her first campaign before she could even vote, interning with Charlie Crist’s gubernatorial campaign in 2006. She’s been heavily involved in Northeast Florida GOP politics ever since, phone banking and organizing for several candidates. She was Sen. John Thrasher’s campaign manager in 2010 and the North Florida director for winning CFO candidate Jeff Atwater last year.

Jordan Raynor, 24, vice president of media and public affairs at Engage

Raynor, a digital media strategist, was named vice president of media and public affairs for Engage, a political media firm, last month. Raynor was the executive editor of Sayfie Media from 2007 to 2009, but his social media ubiquity may be what put him on the map. With more than 3,500 followers on Twitter and 4,149 Facebook friends, Raynor has created his own brand and platform, allowing him to comment on state and national politics on a daily basis to a broad audience.

Kathryn Salerno, 25, Orlando area outreach and education coordinator for CFO Jeff Atwater

After graduating from the University of Central Florida with a degree in finance, Salerno began working for the Republican Party of Florida as the Central Florida regional coordinator. She then worked as a field director for Jeff Atwater’s chief financial officer campaign before joining Atwater’s Orlando office.


THE LAWMAKERS

Rachel Burgin, 28, state representative
Burgin stepped in to fill the shoes of her former boss, state Rep. Trey Traviesa, in 2008 when Traviesa decided not to seek re-election shortly before Election Day. The local party put Burgin on the ticket, and she won re-election in 2010. Burgin, a 2010 graduate of the Moody Bible Institute, also interned in the George W. Bush White House.

Matt Gaetz, 28, state representative
Gaetz won a special election race in 2010 to fill the seat of former House Speaker Ray Sansom and then was re-elected in November to continue serving in the seat. Gaetz, an attorney in Fort Walton Beach, practices real estate, employment, property insurance and contract law. A graduate of Florida State and William and Mary College of Law, Gaetz also served as a legislative intern in the Florida House. His father is Sen. Don Gaetz.

James Grant, 28, state representative
Grant was elected to serve a Tampa area district in November 2010, about three years after earning his law degree from Stetson University College of Law. Grant, who works at his family’s law firm, has a degree in marketing from Auburn University and sits on the board of directors for Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf’s Children’s Home Sporting Clays Classic charity event. His father is former state Sen. John Grant.

Carlos Trujillo, 28, state representative
Trujillo, a Florida State University School of Law graduate, is an assistant state attorney in the 11th Judicial Circuit of Florida, which is in Miami. Previously, he was a training attorney in the county court division and also served in the juvenile court division. He currently serves as a member of the board of directors of the Belen Jesuit Alumni Association. He was elected to the Florida House in November 2010.